Beloved actress Kim Soo-mi, icon of ‘Country Diaries,’ dies at 75

Actress Kim Soo-mi (Yonhap)

Korean veteran actress Kim Soo-mi, renowned for her iconic role as a sharp-tongued single mother in the long-running drama series “Country Diaries” (1980-2002), died of cardiac arrest Friday. She was 75.

The actress was found unconscious at her home by her son and was rushed to Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital in southern Seoul around 8 a.m., where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room.

She began her acting career on MBC TV in 1971 and went on to appear in hundreds of TV series, movies and reality shows, establishing herself as one of the leading actresses of her generation.

She rose to public prominence with her iconic role in the popular drama “Country Diaries,” where she portrayed an elderly woman despite being in her 30s. This performance earned her the Grand Prize at the 1986 MBC Drama Awards.

Building on the success, she carved out a unique niche in the Korean acting scene by taking on roles characterized by larger-than-life and straightforward personalities. She was particularly beloved by the public for portraying a lovable grandmother figure who delivered colorful yet folksy curses with her signature candid and comedic style.

Last year, she starred in the comedy franchise film “Marrying the Mafia: Returns,” where she played the head of a gang family, trying to persuade her youngest daughter, who has vowed not to marry, to settle down with an ideal man.

The actress expanded her career into culinary entertainment, appearing on shows like tvN’s “Mother’s Touch: Korean Side Dishes,” where she demonstrated her cooking expertise and shared traditional recipes with professional chefs, ultimately leading her to start her own food business.

Known for her generosity both on and off screen, Kim was famous for sharing home-cooked meals with fellow actors and TV personalities throughout her career.

Before her health declined, she was active in musical theater, starring in “Chinjeong Eomma,” a term used by married women to refer to their own mothers, until May, when fatigue forced her to pause her career.

Culture Minister Yu In-chon, who co-starred in “Country Diaries,” remembered her as someone close like family, with “a warm personality and humor.”

“I feel as if I’ve lost a family member, not just a star,” he said. “I offer my deepest condolences and gratitude to her for demonstrating various possibilities for other actors who follow in her footsteps.”